Convertible carton



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INVENTOR:

. OWEN T M ARSH I 6.4/ AATT'YS,

United States Patent 3,190,532 CONVERTIBLE CARTON Owen T. Marsh, 5007 Lewisdale Court, Nashville, Tenn. Filed Get. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 315,880 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-8) This invention relates to cartons, and particularly to cartons convertible into toy building blocks.

It is an object of the present invention to provide cartons for milk and the like which, after use as containers, are convertible into toy building blocks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide cartons with marked lines for converting such cartons into toy building blocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton of the character described which can easily and simply be converted into a toy building block by a child.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a milk carton adapted for conversion in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 1 after it has been cut along the marked lines;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 1 after one of the side flaps has been folded;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 1 after two of the side flaps have been folded;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carton in FIG. 1 after three of the side flaps have been folded; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carton in FIG. I, converted into a toy building block by folding the four side flaps.

In recent years cartons have been used on an increasingly widespread scale for the packaging of milk, cream, fruit drinks and other products. Heretofore, the cartons have been discarded after use as a container. The practice of the present invention, however, permits the car-ton to be utilized after the contents thereof have been consumed. In addition to increasing the utility of the carton, the present invention also provides a feature of considerable sales appeal, and lends itself easily to use in sales and promotional campaigns.

The cartons which are rendered convertible to toy building blocks by the present invention, are of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration, and typically have square bases. The cartons may, however, have rectangular bases. The sides of the carton must be taller than the width of the widest side thereof. Such cartons are particularly well suited for use as containers for liquids such as milk, cream and the like. The invention, however, is not limited to use on cartons used with any specific commodities, but rather is adaptable for use with any substantially rectangular parallelepipedonally configured carton of adequate height.

Broadly described, the present invention involves a carton delineated or marked on its sides so that upon cutting the carton along the delineations or marks, an open topped, substantially rectangular parallelepipedonal solid is obtained, with a flap extending upwardly from each side thereof. Each flap has a slant-edged lower portion, the boundary thereof being formed by the slanting diagonal stretching from a lower corner of the base of the flap to the diagonally opposite corner thereof, with a substantially rectangular tab extending upwardly from the upper end of the slanting diagonal line in the diagonally opposite, outer portion of the flap. Upon sequential folding of the flaps, the tabs on certain flaps being tucked under the slanted edge of base portions of certain other flaps, the

of flap A on side 2.

"ice

open top is closed and completes the conversion of the carton into a toy building block.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a carton 1, with a square base, of the type used as a container for milk, cream, juices and the like, each side of which is provided with a plurality of lines or marks. The lines or marks on each of the sides 2, 3, 4, 5 of carton 1 are identically positioned. The delineations or mark ings will be specifically described only as to side 2, it being understood that the lines on sides 3, 4, and 5 are similarly located.

When the carton has a square base, as carton 1 in FIGURE 1, all four sides are identically marked. However, where the carton has a rectangular, but not square, base only each pair of opposite parallel sides is identically marked.

A guide line for folding is provided parallel to the bottom edge 7 of side 2. Line 6 is positioned at a distance from the top edge 8 of side 2 which is equal to the width of parallel adjacent sides 3 and 5. However, the line for folding may also be positioned at any distance from the top edge 8 which is greater than the width of the parallel adjacent sides.

A guide line for cutting is provided, parallel to and above line for folding 6, at a distance from line 6 equal to the width of parallel adjacent sides 3 and 5, line 9 lying between right edge 10 and a point 11 midway between right edge 10 and left edge 12. Another guide line 13 for cutting is provided, lying along right edge 10 from the point of intersection 14, of line 9 and right edge 10, and point of intersection 15, of line 6 and edge 10.

Another guide line 16 for cutting is provided, parallel to edges 10 and 12, lying between point 11 and a point 17 midway between lines 6 and 9. Still another guide line 18 for cutting lies between point of intersection 19, of line 6 and edge 12, and point 17, line 18 lying along the diagonal between points 19 and 14.

Line 6 and lines 9, 13, 16, and 18 form the boundary Identically positioned guide lines for folding and cutting form the boundaries of flap B on side 3, flap C on side 4, and flap D on side 5. The flaps A, B, C, and D are all of similar shape and have projecting tabs 23, 24, 25, 26 extending upwardly from the slantedged base portions 27, 28, 29 and 30 of the flaps. When the flaps are folded into position, thereby forming a toy building block, certain of the tabs are tucked under the slanted edges of the base portions of certain other of the flaps. The novel design of the flaps, thus, permits the carton to be converted relatively permanently into a dur able, attractive toy building block.

When it is desired to convert carton 1 into a toy building block, it is cut on each of sides 2, 3, 4 and 5 with a scissors, or other cutting implement, along lines 9, 13, 16 and 18. The top 20 of carton 1, together with downwardly extending pieces 21, is discarded, leaving the bottom half 22 of the carton with upwardly extending flaps A, B, C, and D, as shown in FIG. 2. The conversion of the carton 1 into the toy building block is completed by sequentially folding the flaps along the lines for folding corresponding to line 6 on side 2. First flap A, as shown in FIG. 3, is folded down. Next, flap B is folded down over flap A, as shown in FIG. 4. Then flap C is folded down, with tab 23 thereon being tucked under the slanted edge of base portion 27 of flap A, as shown in FIG. 5. The last step in the sequence requires that flap D be folded down over flap C, tab 24 on flap D being tucked under the slanted edge of base portion 27 on flap A. Thus, it is seen that top portions on the flaps foldably attached to adjacent sides of said carton are tucked under the slanted edges of base portions of the flaps foldably attached to the respective opposite sides of the carton. The present 3 invention enables carton 1 in FIG. 1 to be converted into the toy building block 31 in FIG. 6.

The block 31, produced in FIG. 6, is cubical in shape. By utilizing a carton with a rectangular base, a rectangular parallelepipedonal building block is obtained. Where the carton has a rectangular base, the flaps delineated or marked on each side thereof are not all identical. Rather, only the flaps on pairs of parallel sides are identical. Nevertheless, such blocks, with flaps formed thereon in accordance with the present invention are formable into blocks of the character herein disclosed. This is attributable to the unique design of the flaps, the leftward lower portion thereof having a slanted edge, and the rightward portion thereof being formed into an upwardly projecting tab. The flaps are foldably formable into a closed top, the tabs on certain of the flaps tucking under the slanted edges of the lower portions of certain other flaps. Thus, by utilizing cartons of varying configuration and by varying the placement of the delineations or markings on the sides of the carton, building blocks of different rectangular parallelepipedon configuration may be obtained.

It is contemplated that the lines for folding and cutting be delineated by imprinting dashes on the carton, or by prescoring of the carton by partially perforating or by other suitable means. Instructions may also be imprinted on the carton to apprise the purchaser or other person of the manipulations necessary to convert the carton into a toy building block.

The invention as herein described has shown flaps with tabs extending upwardly from the right hand portion thereof, the edges of the lower left hand portions of the flaps being diagonally slanted. However, this pattern may be reversed. The tabs may extend upwardly from the left hand portions of the flaps, and the edges of the lower right hand portions thereof may be diagonally slanted.

The carton is preferably made of plastic-coated paperboard, but any other suitable material can be employed. Furthermore, designs, colors, and the like may be imprinted on the sides of the carton so that the toy building blocks convertibly produced therefrom are rendered more attractive. The designs so imprinted may be chosen so as to establish an incentive for children to collect large numbers of the blocks. For example, the Presidents of the United States, the alphabet, or series of numbers all make excellent series of designs for imprintation on the sides of the cartons.

The present invention provides a carton that a child can easily and simply convert into a toy building block. Many variations may be made without departing from the essence of the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a carton of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration, means for converting said carton into a toy building block which comprise a plurality of lines on said carton delineating on opposite sides thereof identical flaps, each of said flaps having a substantially rectangular tab portion at the upper portion of one edge thereof, each of said flaps also having a wider lower portion defined by a slanting edge extending from the lower portion of said tab toward the opposite edge of said flap at the base thereof.

2. In a carton of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration, means for converting said carton into a toy building block which comprise a plurality of lines on said carton delineating on opposite sides thereof identical flaps, each of said flaps being substantially as tall as the width of the parallel sides adjacent the side whereon said flap is delineated, each of said flaps having a substantially rectangular tab portion projecting upwardly from one side thereof, said tab portion extending substantially from one edge of the side whereon said flap is delineated to the center thereof, each of said flaps also having a wider lower portion with a slanting edge on the side thereof away from the tab portion, said wider lower portion extending substantially from the other edge of said side to the center thereof, said slanting edge lying along the diagonal passing from the upper edgemost corner of said tab portion to the opposite lower corner of said wider lower portion.

3. In a carton of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration with a square base, means for converting said carton into a toy building block which comprise a plurality of lines on said carton delineating on the sides thereof identical flaps, each of said flaps being substantially as tall as it is wide, each of said flaps having a substantially rectangular tab portion projecting upwardly from one side thereof, said tab portion extending substantially from one edge of the side whereon said flap is delineated to the center thereof, each of said flaps also having a wider lower portion with a slanting edge on the side thereof away from said tab portion, said wider lower portion extending substantially from the other edge of said side to the center thereof, said slanting edge lying along the diagonal passing from the upper edgernost corner of said tab portion to the opposite lower corner of said wider lower portion.

4. In a carton of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration, means for converting said carton to a top building block which comprise (a) a guide line for folding provided on each side of said carton parallel to the bottom edge of said side at a distance from the top edge of said side at least as great as the width of the parallel sides adjacent said side;

(b) a first guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton parallel to said line for folding and at a distance above said line for folding substantially equal to the width of the parallel sides adjacent said side, said first line for cutting terminating at one end at the right hand edge of said side and at the other end at a point midway between the left and right hand edges of said side;

(c) a second guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton lying along the right hand edge thereof between said first line for cutting and said line for folding;

(d) a third guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton parallel to said second line for cutting, said third line for cutting terminating at one end at the left hand end of said first line for cutting and at the other end at a point midway between said line for folding and said first line for cutting; and

(e) a fourth guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton, said fourth line terminating at one end at the lower end of said third line for cutting and at the other end at the point of intersection of said line for folding and the left hand edge of said side, said fourth line for cutting lying along the diagonal passing from said point of intersection, of said line for folding and said left hand edge of said side, to the point of intersection of said first line for cutting and said second line for cutting.

5. The improvement in making cartons of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration which comprises (a) delineating each side of said carton with a guide line for folding parallel to the bottom edge of said side at a distance from the top edge of said side at least as great as the width of the parallel sides adjacent said side;

(b) delineating each side of said carton with a first guide line for cutting parallel to said line for folding and at a distance above said line for folding substantially equal to the width of the parallel sides adjacent said side, said first line for cutting terminating at one end at the right hand edge of said side and at the other end at a point midway between the left and right hand edges of said side;

(c) delineating each side of said carton with a second guide line for cutting lying along the right hand edge of said side between said first line for cutting and said line for folding;

(d) delineating each side of said carton with a third guide line for cutting parallel to said second line for cutting, said third line for cutting terminating at one end at the left hand end of said first line for cutting and at the other end at a point midway between said line for folding and said first line for cutting; and

(e) delineating each side of said carton with a fourth guide line for cutting terminating at one end at the lower end of said third line for cutting, and at the other end at the point of intersection of said line for folding and the left hand edge of said side, said fourth line for cutting lying along the diagonal passing from said point of intersection of said line for folding and said left hand edge of said side to the point of intersection of said first line for cutting and said second line for cutting.

6. In a carton of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration, means for converting said carton to a toy building block which comprise (a) a guide line for folding provided on each side of said carton parallel to the bottom edge of said side at a distance from the top edge of said side at least as great as the Width of the parallel sides adjacent said side;

(b) a first guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton parallel to said line for folding and at a distance above said line for folding substantially equal to the width of the parallel sides adjacent said side, said first line for cutting terminating at one end at the left hand edge of said side and at the other end at a point midway between the left and right hand edges of said side;

(c) a second guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton lying along the left hand edge thereof between said first line for cutting and said line for folding;

(d) a third guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton parallel to said second line for cutting, said third line for cuttting terminating at one end at the right hand end of said first line for cutting and at the other end at a point midway bet-ween said line for folding and said first line for cutting; and

(e) a fourth guide line for cutting provided on each side of said carton, said fourth line terminating at one end at the lower end of said third line for cutting and at the other end at the point of intersection of said line for folding and the right hand edge of said side, said fourth line for cutting lying along the diagonal passing from said point of intersection of said line for folding and said right hand edge of .5 said side to the point of intersection of said first line for cutting and said second line for cutting.

"7. The improvement in making cartons of substantially rectangular parallelepipedon configuration which comprises (a) delineating each side of said carton with a guide line for folding parallel to the bottom edge of said side at a distance from the top edge of said side at least as great as the width of the parallel sides adjacent said side;

(b) delineating each side of said carton With a first guide line for cutting parallel to said line for folding at a distance above said line for folding substantially equal to the width of the parallel sides adjacent said side, said first line for cutting terminating at one end at the left hand edge of said side and at the other end at a point midway between the left and right hand edges of said side;

(0) delineating each side of said carton with a second guide line for cutting lying along the left hand edge of said side between said first line for cutting and said line for folding;

(d) delineating each side of said carton with a third guide line for cutting parallel to said second line for cutting, said third line for cutting terminating at one end at the right hand end of said first line for cutting and at the other end at a point midway between said line for folding and said first line for cutting; and

(e) delineating each side of said carton with a fourth guide line for cutting terminating at one end at the lower end of said third line for cutting, and at the other end at the point of intersection of said line for folding and the right hand edge of said side, said fourth line for cutting lying along the diagonal passing from said point of intersection of said line for folding and said right hand edge of said side to the point of intersection of said first line for cutting and said second line for cutting.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,823,844 2/58 Frankenstein 2298 3,009,620 11/61 Leone 2298 50 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 190, 532 June 22 1965 Owen T. Marsh It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 25, for "top" read toy "a Signed and sealed this 26th day of April 1966.

( Aftest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A CARTON OF SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR PARALLELEPIPEDON CONFIGURATION, MEANS FOR CONVERTING SAID CARTON INTO A TOY BUILDING BLOCK WHICH COMPRISE A PLURALITY OF LINES ON SAID CARTON DELINEATING ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF IDENTICAL FLAPS, EACH OF SAID FLAPS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR TAB PORTION AT THE UPPER PORTION OF ONE EDGE THEREOF, EACH OF SAID FLAPS ALSO HAVING A WIDER LOWER PORTION DEFINED BY A SLANTING EDGE EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER 